​B-25 wreck search and exploratory dive trip

Join the search for three missing WWII B25 bombersDive on a mixture of Japanese, US and Australian plane wrecks, two Japanese ship wrecks and a midget submarine11-day/10-night, 23-dive trip New Ireland and New Hanover trip - 2985 euro30 August - 9th September 2016

In 1944 Kavieng, on the western tip of the island of New Ireland, was an important supply base for the Japanese military. One of the many American attacks took place on 15 February 1944, which resulted in major damage to Japanese installations. Unfortunately, the American Air Force also had some losses. On the night of February 15th, four B25s of the 345th Bomb Group went down around Kavieng. They were ‘Gremlins Holiday’, ’PissOnIt’, ‘Stubborn Hellion’, and an unnamed plane known as ‘Lt. Cavoli’s’ after its pilot.

For years the resort owners have researched the possible location of the wrecks and have narrowed the area down. With the assistance of modern sonar equipment we have a decent chance of locating the wreck and once found, dive on it!

We are planning to start by diving known wrecks in the Kavieng area for five mornings, followed by the wreck search every afternoon. The diving will be a mix of WWII wrecks as the area was an important float plane base for the Japanese, including a Japanese ‘Pete’ biplane, a Jake, and a Kate bomber. We will also spend at least a couple of dives watching the pelagic action on the walls and channels. Obviously, when we find something on our afternoon scanning runs, we will be jumping in to investigate.

To top it all off, we will stay for two nights at ‘Clem’s Place’ on Tunnung Island off the north coast of New Hanover and dive some fantastic sites up there. Weather depending, these may include Chapman’s Reef, the wreck of the ‘Sanko Maru’ with her accompanying Midget Submarine as well as a couple other shipwrecks from WWII including a Sub Chaser, all sunk by the 345th the day after the four B25s went down. Chapman’s is well known for its resident family of Giant Groupers and the ‘Sanko Maru’ is probably the most beautifully overgrown shipwreck in the Pacific.

The trip is scheduled to make attendance at the Goroko Highlands Show possible too.